


Magical Carpets and Meek Monsters

by Ethereal_Wishes



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-10
Updated: 2017-03-10
Packaged: 2018-10-02 03:42:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,289
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10208816
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ethereal_Wishes/pseuds/Ethereal_Wishes
Summary: Belle stumbles upon what she believes is an ordinary rug in Rumplestiltskin's castle only to find out it's magical which leads to her begging her master for a little spin around the castle, but he gifts her with more than she expected.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [CharlotteAshmore](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CharlotteAshmore/gifts).



Magical Carpets and Meek Monsters

A/AN: I can't believe I'm writing this, but it was just too cute to pass up :3. This is dedicated to my dear friend and beta Charlotte Ashmore who adores Dark Castle Rumbelle fics. I love you, dearest, and I hope you enjoy!

Belle growled in irritation as she intricately polished a suit of armor in Rumpelstiltskin's armory. Her master was experiencing one of his unpredictable mood swings after a deal fell through with a young merchant promising a magic bean. The bean had been an imitation, and he'd turned the unsuspecting bloke into a snail and squashed him under his boot.

He'd assigned her with the meddlesome task of polishing every single piece of silver he possessed. After three suits of armor and seventy teaspoons, she'd had enough. She threw down her cleaning rag in vexation, deciding it was time for a much needed break. She marched out of the kitchens, making her way back to her chambers.

She'd graduated from the dungeons to the servant's quarters recently. She wasn't paying attention and accidentally opened the wrong door, leading to a room she hadn't visited before. It was filled to the brim with various objects. She should have shut the door and been on her way, but her curiosity got the better of her. A small peek wouldn't hurt anyone, she told herself. She blinked, noticing a throw rug neatly folded in the corner. Her room was quite bleak and could use a bit of decoration. She threw it over her shoulder, deeming it harmless. Rumpelstiltskin would hardly miss it.

Belle returned to her chambers, spreading her new rug out on the stone floor. It was a royal purple with gold and crimson ornate patterns sewn into the fabric. A gold tassel hung on each corner. Belle sat in the center of the rug, admiring its beauty, unaware she was slowly rising into the air. Her breath hitched , and a cry of surprise leaped from her throat as the carpet suddenly began to soar around the room. She'd left the door ajar, and it sped out without hesitation. She gripped its frayed edges until her fingers were bone white. It zipped and zoomed around the castle, and finally out of an open window.

Belle hung on desperately to the carpet, feeling foolish for simply believing it to be an ordinary throw rug. When had anything in Rumpelstiltskin's castle ever been ordinary? "Rumpelstiltskin!" she cried out instinctively. The imp appeared beside her instantaneously.

"Trying to escape are we, dearie!?" he hummed in displeasure.

Belle shook her head. "No, it isn't like that! I was headed back to my room when I accidentally stumbled into one of your storage rooms. I only wished to spruce up my own chambers with a bit of color. I thought it was a harmless tapestry. I had no idea it was enchanted!" she whimpered.

Rumpelstiltskin sighed frustratingly, bringing the carpet to a screeching halt. Deep down he knew Belle was telling him the truth. Her curiosity had gotten the better of her again. "I have no idea how you get yourself in these predicaments. Were you this naive back at your home castle?" he interrogated.

"Of course not! You have so many wonderful things, and it's so exhilarating!" she gushed.

"Well it's back to the castle we go then, dearie," he supplied, ready to snap his fingers and transport them home.

"No! Wait! Do you think we might could take it for a spin? Show me the world?" she smiled sheepishly, clutching his arm. His heart beat a tattoo against his chest from her disregard for personal space.

An exasperated sigh escaped his lips. "Fine, but we're only going a short distance!" he retorted, ripping himself away from her grasp.

"Oh! Where are we going!?" she voiced ecstatically.

"How about a couple of rounds around the castle?" he proposed. She glanced at him pointedly, clearly dissatisfied with his idea.

"I was thinking more along the lines of Agrabah. I read it's the only place you can find magic carpets. They're quite rare and are spun from the fibers of a rare endangered ram's wool with the power to fly. Is that true?" she queried, casting him an analytical glance.

"Partially. The rams have long died out. I procured this one from a man from Agrabah. He made it part of our deal after I agreed to help him defeat a mad sorcerer hell bent on becoming the new sultan," he answered, his amber orbs softening.

"What was the sorcerer's name?" she probed, yearning to hear more of his fascinating tale.

"His name was Jafar. He was once the sultan's royal adviser. He even assassinated the sultan so he could marry the princess and gain unlimited control," he continued.

"Did he succeed?" she pressed, intrigue flickering across her gaze. An entrancing tale always grabbed Belle's attention, and Rumpelstiltskin's story was mesmerizing.

"No, we defeated him. Princess Jasmine is now the sultana, and Agrabah is thriving under her new reign," he expounded.

"What happened to the man who gave you the carpet? Surely he had a bigger role to play in all of this than simply handing over something which must have been priceless to him?" she wondered aloud.

"He's fairing just fine ruling by the sultana's side," he reassured her, his voice becoming reminiscent of his human counterpart.

"So they were in love?" she quizzed, giving him a half lidded gaze.

"Yes, very much so," he said softly, admiring how lovely she looked shrouded in twilight. He'd never admit he fancied her, but her light was what drew him, like a moth to a flame. The sun had nearly set, and the stars had already began to appear, scattering themselves across the horizon like an artist had purposely positioned them on a canvas.

"Could we go there?" she pleaded, her voice becoming small as they glided over the expansive foliage of the Enchanted Forest which surrounded the Dark Castle.

"No. You need a special device to portal jump. I was once acquainted with a hatter who had one, but he now works for my rival, the Evil Queen," he seethed.

"Oh," she sighed disappointingly, glancing off in the distance.

"But that doesn't mean we can't go for a ride around the Enchanted Forest," he returned. She glanced back at him, her eyes lighting up with exuberance.

"Is there some place you haven't been in a long time you'd like to see?" he probed.

Belle inhaled sharply, wondering if it was a good idea to reveal to him where she'd like to journey to. "I know I promised to go with you forever, and I'll never forsake my vow, but could we possibly fly over Avonlea, my former kingdom?" she asked, hoping her request hadn't angered him.

"Yes, if it will curb your desire to ride on this thing, and you'll never ask me to do it again, I'll agree," he consented.

"Deal," she nodded agreeably.

"Carpet, take us to Avonlea," he commanded, mentally steering the enchanted rug in the direction of Belle's former kingdom. The carpet darted off, catching Belle by surprise as she fell back into Rumpelstiltskin's awaiting arms.

She glanced up at him bashfully. "Sorry. I wasn't expecting such an abrupt take off," she laughed nervously. He assisted in helping her to a sitting position.

"Perhaps I should make a barrier, so you don't fall to your death," he retorted, flourishing his hand, generating a protection spell over the carpet. "Now you may look over without fear of falling," he told her, reclining back against the edge.

"Thank you, Rumple. You'll never know how much this means to me," she beamed brilliantly at him. His heart began to race. She always looked at him without revulsion despite his beastly appearance, and he wondered what it all meant.

"It's so beautiful out tonight," she sighed, admiring the expansive sky stretched out before them.

"Yes, it's quite breathtaking," he agreed, glancing at her, but he wasn't referring to the stars. The carpet dipped, causing Belle to roll sideways. She squealed as she hit the edge, relieved when she didn't fall off.

"This is why I set up the barrier," he remarked, giggling impishly.

"Look! There's my castle!" she gasped, pointing excitedly to the jutting steeples. The carpet glided towards her old windowsill with some assistance from his magic. "My old room," she reverberated quietly as the carpet transformed into a pair of steps. With the snap of his fingers, the window opened.

"Are you sure this is alright?" Belle asked, glancing at him for permission.

"Go on. I thought you'd wish to see it and gather a few personal items. I know I didn't give you a chance the last time we were here," he replied, recounting the day he'd taken her to be his maid and serve him forever.

Belle precariously traipsed down the steps and downward into the open window. Her room was dark and quiet. Rumpelstiltskin flicked his wrist, creating a lantern for her to see by. The bed was made, and the room appeared to be left untouched. He set the light on a mostly empty table, crossing his arms loosely under his chest as he waited for her to gather her belongings.

"Here's my mother's pearl bracelet," she smiled, plucking the heirloom from her jewelry box. "It's the only thing I have left of her," she sighed regretfully, fastening the string of pearls around her wrist. Rumpelstiltskin kept quiet, knowing she was speaking mostly to herself. This moment was about her. She needed to do this to be able to leave the life she no longer had behind.

"Look! It's my favorite book!" she exclaimed, picking up the dusty green hardback which still rested underneath her pillow. The title "Her Handsome Hero" was scrawled across the front in gold lettering.

"Belle, it's time to go," he spoke up. She cast him a melancholy glance, filling his heart with guilt. There were some days he felt terrible for ripping Belle away from her home, but all magic came with a price, even if he was the one who determined that price.

"Alright. May I have five more minutes, please?" she petitioned.

"I suppose," he relented. He watched as Belle gathered up a few more books, a decorative pillow case, a quill, vial of ink, and a bundle of parchment.

"Pardon me, but there isn't any of your gowns you'd like to take with you?" he queried, gesturing his talon to her wardrobe.

"No. Those dresses are simply a reminder of who I once was. I'm not that reluctant princess anymore. I chose my own fate. Besides, they made me feel constricted. My servant's garb may be plain, but it's much more convenient when it comes to movement. I wouldn't be sad if I never saw another corset again," she retorted, cradling her possessions in her arms.

"Allow me," Rumpelstiltskin remarked, producing a leather satchel with roses stitched in the fabric.

"What's this for?" Belle inquired, pointing a delicate finger to the bag.

"It's for your belongings, dearie," he affirmed, opening it. Belle placed all of her precious keepsakes inside, ascending the steps and seating herself back on the carpet. Rumpelstiltskin sat beside her as the enchanted rug sped off. The wind tousled her unruly locks. She sat cross-legged on the rug, lost deep in her musings.

He fixated his gaze on the horizon, contemplating on how he could make Belle's life more comfortable away from home. He knew she missed it dearly no matter how much she tried to deny it. An idea struck him as the carpet descended, nearing the Dark Castle.

"Thanks for allowing me to go back and retrieve a few mementos," she stated, smiling gratefully at him.

"Take your things and go back to your room. I have work to be done, and you've delayed me with your nonsense!" he remarked gruffly. Hurt flashed in her eyes, but she said nothing as she hopped off the rug with the satchel clenched to her chest. Tears fell in rivulets from her eyes as she dashed back into the castle to her chambers. How foolish was she to believe her master actually cared for her?

She pushed open the door, gasping in disbelief at the sight before her. Her room had changed from ugly and ordinary to an exact replica of her former bedchamber.

"Rumpelstiltskin," she muttered in awe, overwhelmed by his kind gesture.

"I thought your room could use a bit of sprucing up. My desire is for you to feel at home here, Belle. Although you'll never be allowed to go back to Avonlea, I don't want you to believe this is your prison, so I thought a little piece of your home would remind you of that," he said, leaning against the egress.

Belle diverted her gaze towards him, her eyes rimming with tears. He felt as if the wind had been knocked out of him as she wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly.

"You'll never know what this means to me," she whispered, standing on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. A wave of heat coursed through him from the innocent contact. He touched his cheek in disbelief as she released him.

"I always knew you were no monster," she grinned, traipsing away from him. For a moment, he didn't feel like the nefarious Dark One, but a man again, a man who'd always tried his hardest to make everyone happy. He'd failed miserably, but Belle made him feel a semblance of something he hadn't felt in centuries: human. Perhaps she would be the one who would restore him to his former self. Only time would tell.


End file.
